Affiliation: | a Laboratory of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, GR-54006, Greece b Institute of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, 80, 26th October Street, Thessaloniki, GR-54624, Greece c Laboratory of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, GR-54006, Greece d Clinic of Productive Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, GR-54006, Greece |
Abstract: | Thirteen susceptible piglets, aged 40 days, were divided into two groups and were experimentally infected either with a Greek (myocardial) or a Belgian (reproductive) encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) strain (total dose 5 × 106 TCID50, intramuscularly and intranasally). Six piglets were placed in the same rooms, 24 h later, as contact controls. The following criteria were studied: ante mortem: clinical signs, serum cardiac isoenzyme activities (CK-MB and LD-1), viraemia, nasal and faecal virus excretion and serological response. Post mortem (after death or euthanasia): gross lesions, virus isolation from tissues, RT-PCR, as well as histopathological and immunohistochemical findings. The Greek strain was more pathogenic, producing mortality, with high cardiac isoenzyme activities and pronounced macroscopic myocardium lesions. The Belgian strain was able to induce mild heart lesions, as detected only by cardiac isoenzyme activity and histopathologically. All contact pigs were infected, within the first 1–2 days of their introduction, that coincided with the period of viral excretion by the experimentally infected pigs (up to the 3rd day post infection). Disease was mild, with no mortality. |